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Origin and History

This tercio of dragoons was raised in Flanders on February 7 1689, during the Nine Years' War (1688-97) by the Prince of Steenhuysen. In 1690, it took part in the Battle of Fleurus; in 1691, in the Battle of Leuze; in 1692, in the Steenkerque; in 1693, in the Battle of Landen, in 1694, in the siege of Huy; in 1695, in the attack on the Fort Kenoque.

On March 31 1701, at the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-13), all Spanish dragoon tercios serving in the Spanish Netherlands were reorganised along the lines of the French dragoon regiments at the request of the Maréchal de Boufflers. In 1702, the regiment took part in an engagement near Nijmegen; in 1703, in the sieges of Alt-Breisach and Landau and in the Combat of Speyerbach; in 1705, in the siege and capture of Huy and in the unsuccessful defence of the Lines of Brabant; in 1706, in the Battle of Ramillies; in 1707, in an attack on the Lines of Stollhofen; and in 1709, in the attack of an Austrian camp at Rumersheim. In 1710, the regiment evacuated the Spanish Netherlands and marched through France to Catalonia. The same year, it campaigned against the insurgents in the region of Rivagorza. It then fought in the battles of Almenar, Saragossa, Brihuega and Villaviciosa. In 1711, the regiment campaigned against the insurgents in the mountains of Aragon and Catalonia. In 1712 and 1713, the regiment continued to campaign in Catalonia. In 1714, it took part in the siege and capture of Barcelona. It then sent detachments to fight the insurgents.

In 1717, a detachment of 50 dragoons of the regiment took part in the reconquest of Sardinia.

On February 1 1718, the regiment was renamed “Frisia”. On 19 June, the entire regiment embarked at Barcelona for Sicily where it took part in the occupation of Palermo, in the siege of Messina and in the blockade of Syracuse. In 1719, it fought in the Battle of Francavilla. In 1720, it evacuated Sicily and returned to Catalonia.

In 1732, the regiment contributed 100 dragoons to the expedition against Oran and Mers-el-Kebir.

In 1734, during the War of the Polish Succession (1733-35), the regiment was sent to Italy, landing at Naples. It was soon transferred to Sicily where it occupied Palermo and took part in the blockade of Syracuse. It then returned to Naples and took part in the siege and capture of Capua. In 1735, the regiment once more campaigned in Sicily, taking part in the capture of Syracuse. It then returned to Naples to joined the army assembling for the conquest of Lombardy. In 1736, the regiment retired to Tuscany before embarking for Spain.

In 1739, the regiment was stationed in Jeréz de la Frontera in Andalusia.

In 1741, during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48), the regiment marched from Andalusia, through Catalonia and France to join the Franco-Spanish army assembling for the invasion of Piedmont. In 1742, the regiment took part in the attack of the entrenchments of the Maurienne and Modane. In 1743, it retired from Savoy to Dauphiné. In 1744, it occupied Nice and took part in the attack of the Lines of Montalbano and Villefranche, in the sieges of Demont and Coni, and in the Battle of Madonna dell'Olmo. In 1745, it took part in the siege of Tortona, in the Battle of Bassignano and in the siege and capture of Alessandria. In 1746, it was at the siege of the Castle of Milan, in the Battle of Piacenza and in the Battle of Rottofreddo before retiring to Provence. In 1747, the regiment occupied Villefranche and Ventimiglia and fought in the action of Castelazzo.

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was under the command of:

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On October 28 1765, the regiment was renamed “Villaviciosa”.

Service during the War

In 1762, the regiment was selected to form part of the Army of Extremadura for the planned invasion of Portugal. It was employed to cover and escort the convoys and the artillery. It was at the siege of Elvas and Campomaior. At the end of the campaign, it took up its quarters in Andalusia.